How to Change WhatsApp Group Admin (Add, Remove or Swap)

Whether you've started a club chat, a team group or a community for customers, sooner or later someone else needs to run it. Perhaps you're stepping back, or you want a second pair of hands to approve new people. WhatsApp doesn't have a single 'transfer ownership' button, so it helps to know how admin roles work. I'll take you through what WhatsApp's help centre says, including the part people are often surprised by.

What changing a WhatsApp group admin means

WhatsApp's help centre describes it as two separate actions. An admin can make another member an admin, and an admin can dismiss another admin. There's no limit on admins: a group can have an unlimited number, and any admin can promote a member.

So to hand a group over, you promote the new person first. The help pages also set one firm rule about the person who created the group, which I'll cover below.

Making someone a WhatsApp group admin on your phone

1. Open the WhatsApp group chat and tap the group subject (the group name at the top).
2. Tap, or tap and hold, the member you want to make an admin.
3. Tap Make group admin.

Menu labels can vary by app version and by phone, so if you don't see the exact wording, look for the options that appear when you tap a member.

Making someone a WhatsApp group admin on a computer

1. Open the group chat in WhatsApp for your computer or WhatsApp Web, then click the group subject.
2. Hover over the member you want to make an admin and click the small arrow or menu that appears next to their name.
3. Click Make group admin, then confirm by clicking Make group admin again.

Changing several WhatsApp group admins at once

If you're reshuffling a whole team, WhatsApp has a faster way. Per the help centre, open the group, tap or click the group subject, go to Group permissions, then Edit group admins. Select the members you want as admins, then confirm with the tick. To remove several admins, use the same screen and uncheck them instead.

How to dismiss a WhatsApp group admin

1. Open the group chat and tap the group subject.
2. Tap the admin you want to dismiss.
3. Tap Dismiss as admin.

On a computer, hover over the admin, open the menu next to their name and choose Dismiss as admin.

The group creator rule for WhatsApp admins

This is the part that catches people. The help centre says the creator of a group can't be removed as an admin and stays an admin unless they exit the group. So if you started the group and want to change who's in charge, you can add other admins, but you can't strip your own admin status while you're still in the group.

WhatsApp also states that it can't interfere with group administration. For example, it can't make someone an admin on your behalf, even if they used to be one and another admin removed them. If you've lost control of a group, there's no support route that restores it. You'd need a current admin to promote you again.

What admins can control in a WhatsApp group

Part of choosing an admin is knowing what they can do. According to WhatsApp, group admins can change settings so that either only admins or all members can edit group info, send messages or add people. Groups started with fewer than 33 members let all members add others, send messages and change the name, icon and description by default. In a group with more than 256 members, Edit group settings defaults to Only admins.

• Edit group settings: members, or only admins, can change the name, icon and description.
• Send new messages: all members, or only admins.
• Add other members: all members, or only admins.
• Invite via link: any member can share an invite link, or only admins can create one.

You'll find all of these by opening the group, tapping the group name and going to Group permissions. If you plan to give a team member the keys, check these settings first. My guide to adding someone to a WhatsApp group shows what a new admin will be dealing with day to day.

If you can't change a WhatsApp group admin

WhatsApp's troubleshooting page lists the causes, and it's short. You might be unable to make someone an admin, or remove them, because:

• You're not a group admin yourself.
• You and the member aren't on the latest version of WhatsApp.
• The member is already an admin.
• The member is no longer in the group.
• There's a network issue.

Work down that list, update the app on both phones if you can, and try again on a stable connection. If you run groups for a business, the help pages add a note: groups can work differently when a business uses authorised third-party providers to help manage WhatsApp.

Choosing who to make a WhatsApp group admin

Pick someone who's active, who you trust and who understands the group's purpose. For a customer group, I'd keep admin rights to people on your team and leave members to chat. Two admins is a sensible minimum, so the group never depends on one person's phone. For more everyday settings, see my WhatsApp help guides.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make someone a WhatsApp group admin?

Open the group, tap the group name, tap the member and tap Make group admin. You must be an admin yourself.

Can I transfer ownership of a WhatsApp group?

WhatsApp's help centre doesn't describe a transfer. You can make others admins, but the creator stays an admin unless they exit the group.

How many admins can a WhatsApp group have?

WhatsApp says a group can have an unlimited number of admins.

Can I remove the person who created the group as admin?

No. The help centre says the group creator can't be removed and remains an admin unless they exit the group.

Why can't I make someone an admin?

Common causes are that you're not an admin, one of you needs to update WhatsApp, the member is already an admin, they've left the group or there's a network issue.

Can WhatsApp make me an admin again?

No. WhatsApp says it can't interfere with group administration, so only a current admin can promote you.